Help save St Thomas the Martyr Church!
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Urgent repairs needed

St Thomas the Martyr Church is a 12th century jewel in Oxford’s crown with a wonderful history, set near to Oxford Railway Station and the Said Business School. However, time has taken its toll, and this wonderful building is at risk with major work required to save its nave roof, and clock tower from further decline. Much modernisation work is also required internally, while externally restoration is required to the churchyard, including its graves, gates, walls and fencing.

 We are launching a £250,000 appeal and hope that you can support us. Information about donating can be found below. If you would like to hear more about the appeal or get involved in helping us to fundraise, please don’t hesitate to contact us on info@sbarnabas.org.uk

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

Services at St Thomas the Martyr

Mass every Wednesday at 12.30pm
(No Mass on 11 June)
Candle-lit Mass for Feast of St Thomas Becket
on Saturday 5 July at 5pm

Visiting the Church

  • The Churchyard is open every day all year round. There are graves of interesting local people, for example Fr Thomas Chamberain, sometime Vicar; Felicia Skene (Victorian prison reformer, philanthropist and author); and Olive Gibbs, former Lord Mayor of Oxford

  • Regrettably the Church building is only open at times of worship, usually from 12noon - 1.15pm on Wednedays and Fridays.

Baptisms & Weddings

St Thomas Becket window

St Thomas the Martyr Church in Oxford dates from 1190. It is one of the oldest Churches in Oxford

The Church is named after St Thomas Becket who was murdered whilst praying in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170.

Throughout its 830 year history, St Thomas’s has seen an array of colourful, controversial and captivating characters both as Vicars of the parish and as worshippers in the Church. Most notable amongst them is Robert Burton, author of The Anatomy of Melancholy who was Vicar from 1618 until his death in 1640. You can read more about the history of the Church by clicking here

Worship continues each week, and St Thomas’s now the Chapel-of-Ease of St Barnabas Jericho, which is the Parish Church a short walk away.

The Bells

You will often hear the beautiful ring of bells coming from the bell-tower at St Thomas the Martyr.

There is a short video to the right where you can hear a bell-ringing practice in February 2022